The digital magazine for faculty, staff, students and friends of Pensacola State College
June 17, 2021
Pensacola State's June 19 event is a celebration of freedom
On July 4, the United States will celebrate its independence from Great Britain with fireworks, barbecues and everything red, white and blue. 

But to say it’s a celebration of freedom is only partially true. Because when the nation was formed in 1776, there were tens of thousands of enslaved people in the new country. 

True freedom for all Americans would come with President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1862, though news of that freedom was slow to spread to some parts of the still-young country.

In Texas, the news of freedom didn’t come until 1865 when Union Army Major Gen. Gordon Granger and his soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to read General Order No. 3, informing residents that slavery had been abolished. 

The date was June 19. There were an estimated 250,000 enslaved people in Texas at the time.
Celebrations arose and commemoration of the historical day began a year later in churches across Texas. Juneteenth – a true celebration of independence and freedom ─ was born. 

Pensacola State College will celebrate Juneteenth on Saturday, June 19, on the Pensacola campus. Events include music, poetry, theater performances and so much more. The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Hagler Auditorium, Building 2, and the Delaino Student Center, Building 5. 

“It’s a celebration," said Tonie Anderson-Steele, left, a Milton campus counselor and adviser to the PSC African American Student Association, which is sponsoring the event along with the PSC Black History/Multicultural Committee and the University of West Florida’s Office of Equity and Diversity. “It’s not a remembrance of slavery. It’s a celebration of freedom.” 

ABOVE PHOTO: Duke University music instructor Bradley Simmons will present a Zoom-only seminar on the history of Afrocentric drumming.

Pensacola State welcomes two new Student Ambassadors
Pensacola State College recruiter Layla Zandi made trips to the homes of two incoming students who will begin studies in the fall. 

Zandi came with gift bags full of PSC swag and even a “PSC Bound” yard sign to welcome Claudia Li and Connor Wooden to the College.

Now, it’s Claudia and Connor’s time to welcome folks to PSC. The two recent high school graduates have been selected PSC Student Ambassadors. They will join four returning ambassadors as representatives of the College at various events. The returning ambassadors are Alexis Copeland, Karlee James, Avery Young and Miles Burt. 

“They will be the student faces of Pensacola State College,” Zandi said. “They’ll help with campus tours, College events off and on campus, commencement ceremonies and any other events. They’ll welcome people to the campuses and are encouraged to share their positive experiences at PSC with prospective students and highlight all the great things the College has to offer.” 

All Student Ambassadors receive one-year scholarships that can be renewed if the students are selected to be Ambassadors for a second year. To qualify for consideration, applicants must have had at least a 3.0 grade point average in high school and maintain a 3.0 grade point average at PSC. Applicants also had to provide letters of recommendation and go through an interview process.

“While I was interviewing them, I was looking for how well-spoken they were, how enthusiastic they were about the opportunity, and talked to them about their volunteer work,” Zandi said. “We interviewed five people and Claudia and Connor really stood out.” 
Claudia graduated from Pensacola Catholic High School on June 12. 

“PSC is a great choice for me,” she said. “It was local and because of Covid, it just seemed better to stay home with my parents. Times are kind of crazy out there.”

As a dual-enrollment student, she took an Algebra class at PSC her senior year. 

“I loved how welcoming everyone was,” she said. “The teacher interacted with me one-on-one and I didn’t feel ignored.”

Connor is also a dual-enrollment student who graduated from Gulf Breeze High School in June.

“I liked it a lot,” Connor said. “I took a College Algebra class and the teacher was great. Everyone I’ve talked to at the College has been helpful and supportive. They make you feel wanted at PSC.”

He plans to study finance and maybe transfer to the University of West Florida or another school after earning an associate degree from PSC.

“I like the idea of being close to home,” he said. “I have a lot of friends here and I want to stay in the community and help however I can.”

--Troy Moon
PSC to build beds, collect bedding for children without their own
There are children in Northwest Florida who don’t have a bed to sleep on. Sad and shameful and true. 

Yet one nonprofit group, Sleep in Heavenly Peace, has dedicated itself to providing beds for children and enlists community members and organizations to help build the beds.

On Saturday, Oct. 16, Pensacola State College clubs – and individuals – will participate in a Build-A-Bed project for Sleep in Heavenly Peace at the Pensacola campus.

Lowe’s Home Improvement has provided the national organization grant money to purchase the raw materials for the project and Sleep in Heavenly Peace volunteers will be at the event to guide and assist in the construction process. However most of the work will be done by PSC students, faculty and administration volunteers. 

Liz Moseley, Director of the PSC Student Resource Center for ADA Services, is helping coordinate the project. She hopes that maybe the PSC crew can churn out 50 to 60 twin-size beds and bunkbeds for children in need. 

“They bring all the equipment and we just need a parking lot and people to help build beds,” she said. 

“We’re hoping to get all the clubs involved and maybe they can compete to see who can complete the most beds. We have all been languishing for the past year and this is a way to get the clubs reactivated and engaged and relaunch a feeling of community.” 

Sleep in Heavenly Arms was started by Luke and Heidi Mickelson in Idaho in 2012. The organization has more than 200 chapters in the United States, including a Pensacola chapter, which was opened in 2019. Since opening, the local chapter has provided nearly 200 beds to area children. 

“We tell people you don’t need tools and you don’t need any previous carpentry experience,” said Kevin Loveday, who founded the local chapter. “There will be jobs for everyone regardless of their skill levels. Some people won’t even have to touch a tool.”

Moseley said times have not been set yet for the Build-A-Bed project, but she hopes that there will be a morning session and an afternoon session with a barbecue cookout lunch between the sessions. Individuals or clubs would sign up for either the morning session or afternoon session.

In preparation for the October Build-A-Bed project, PSC’s Phi Theta Kappa-Beta Beta chapter is collecting children’s bedding material – mattress pads, child-themed twin-size sheets, comforters and even Teddy bears to accompany the bed frames that will be built. 

The Build-A-Bed fundraiser runs through Sept. 1 and supplies can be dropped off at the PSC Veterans Center, Building 6, Room 658, on the Pensacola campus and Buildings 4200 and 4400 on the Milton campus. 

Donated items must be new and in original, unopened packaging. The national Sleep in Heavenly Peace organization supplies the mattresses for the beds to local chapters. 

“Everyone can get behind the idea that every child deserves a bed,” Moseley said. “There is absolutely a need in the community for beds for children. They should be able to sleep in a safe, comfortable place.” 

-- Troy Moon
ATTENTION: Get help finishing your FAFSA or Pensacola State application this summer at FAFSA Nights presented by PSC's Educational Opportunity Center (TRiO)-Pensacola

All 2020 and 2021 Escambia County high school graduates. Apply to attend Pensacola State College this Fall and receive a gift card from Publix, Walmart or Target.
Go to PensacolaState.edu/admissions, or call 850-484-2000. Application fee will be waived.

If you can't make a meeting, then feel free to contact the Educational Opportunity Center to schedule an appointment that works for you.

If you need assistance in filling out your Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), go to eoc@pensacolastate.edu or call 850-484-1961.